A freind if mine suggested starving my snake from the start of footy season for a few months but i didnt take much notice of it. Can anyone inform me why you wouldnt feed and handle them for months, does it have something to do with hibernation?
I'd seriously consider dumping the "friend" for offering such ridiculous advice
. Where these nutbags get such information beats me. The snake may, of its own accord, stop feeding through the cooler months, but you should leave it up to the snake if you are maintaining heat throughout the winter months. If you were planning to breed, you may want to stop feeding and handling around May and reduce heat to 3-4 hours a day until mid September, but I don't think you're looking at breeding at this point in time.
Regarding the scales, looks perfectly normal to me, and the pinkish tinge, especially under the rear parts of the animal towards the tail, is a certain indicator of an approaching shed. It will clear up and look pretty normal for a day or two before it actually sheds. As the skin layers are separating in preparation to shed, the outer layer can be a bit fragile, so don't handle the animal until the process is complete. It may also be reluctant to feed during this time - some do, some don't.
Just a point about the previous post submitted while I was writing mine - snakes get all their vitamin D from their food, they don't synthesise it from sunlight. But allowing the animal to rove on the grass occasionally won't do it any harm, as long as you supervise it EVERY MINUTE - don't go to answer the phone, or make a cup of tea... they disappear with remarkable speed as soon as you take your eyes off them!
Jamie